Professor Green is famous on stages all over the world, but when it came to his heritage, he couldn’t hark any further back than Hackney!

His British roots run deep (you’ll never talk him out of a traditional roast dinner!), but delving into his French and German family history with DNA Dishes has inspired Professor Green to try continental recipes with a little more je ne sais quoi.

German-Style Meatballs In Creamy Caper Sauce With Rice

This comforting dish is inspired by the German classic, ‘Königsberger Klopse.’ You’ll cook tender meatballs in a creamy lemon and caper sauce, before serving with fluffy rice and crisp spring greens. Guten Appetit!

Ingredients

1 lemon

1 brown onion

?8ml soy sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

30g capers

40g Cornish clotted cream

30g panko breadcrumbs

5g parsley

250g British beef mince

120g shredded spring greens

1 chicken stock cube

130g basmati rice

Step 1: Peel and grate the brown onion

Add the grated onion, beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, soy sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl

Massage thoroughly, with clean hands, until fully combined, then divide the mixture into 10 and roll into meatballs

Tip: massage the meat longer for more tender meatballs!

Step 2: Add the basmati rice and 300ml cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving?

Step 3: Meanwhile, boil a kettle

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a matching lid, with a large knob of butter over a medium heat

Once hot, add the meatballs to the pan and cook for 4 min, turning occasionally, until they are browned (they don’t need to be fully cooked through yet!)

Meanwhile, dissolve the chicken stock cube in 200mlboiled water

Step 4: Once browned, transfer the meatballs to a plate

Return the pan to a medium heat, add 1 tbsp flour and stir until a sandy paste forms (if your pan is looking dry add a small knob of butter)

Whisk the chicken stock into the flour

Cook for 2-3 min or until it has thickened slightly

Step 5: Once thickened, add the capers and clotted cream to the sauce

Return the meatballs to the pan

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 4-5 min further until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a gravy-like consistency

Step 6: Meanwhile, re-boil a kettle

Chop the parsley leaves roughly, discarding the stems

Slice the lemon into wedges

Step 7: Remove the meatballs and sauce from the heat and add a generous squeeze of lemon juice to the pan – these are your German meatballs

Add the shredded spring greens to a sieve and pour the kettle of boiled water over them until they have wilted slightly

Step 8:  Serve the spring greens and basmati rice with the meatballs to the side

Garnish with the chopped parsley and a lemon wedge

Enjoy!

Provençal Fish, Black Olive Tapenade & Mash

This simple supper is full of distinctly French flavours. You’ll top tender baked fish with tangy homemade tapenade and a rich ‘piperade’ tomato sauce. Serve the baked fish over creamy mash. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

1 red onion

1 green pepper

2 tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

60g pitted black olives

2 x 100g basa fillets

16g tomato paste

3 white potatoes

 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ 400°F/ Gas 6

Boil a full kettle

Deseed the green pepper (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into bite-sized chunks

Peel and finely dice the red onion and chop the tomatoes roughly

Peel and chop (or grate) the garlic

Step 2: Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick, with a matching lid), with a generous drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the diced red onion with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 4 min or until soft

Step 3: Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes into rough, bite-sized pieces

Add the chopped potatoes to a pot of plenty of boiled water with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, cook for 12-15 min or until fork tender

Once done, drain and return to the pot to steam dry

Step 4: While the potatoes are cooking, chop the pitted black olives

When the onion is soft, add the chopped green pepper, chopped tomatoes and half the garlic and cook for 3-4 min

Add the tomato paste, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper and 200ml boiled water to the pan and cook, covered for 15 min or until reduced to a stew-like consistency – this is your piperade tomato sauce

Step 5: Grind the chopped black olives, remaining chopped garlic and a pinch of salt in a pestle & mortar to form a smooth paste (alternatively, use a food processor)

Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and give it a good mix up – this is your black olive tapenade

Step 6: Line a baking tray with tin foil

Place the basa fillets on the tray

Divide and spread the black olive tapenade over the fish

Put the tray in the oven for 12-15 min or until the fish is cooked through – this is your tapenade baked fish

Tip: Your fish is cooked when it turns opaque and flakes easily

Step 7: Return the drained potatoes to a low heat and add a splash of olive oil and a knob of butter

Season with salt and pepper and mash until smooth

Step 8: Serve the tapenade baked fish over the mashed potatoes with the piperade tomato sauce to the side

Enjoy!

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